Cleaning in the 21st Century: The musculoskeletal disorders associated with the centuries-old occupation - A literature review.

Workers performing cleaning duties experience higher injury rates, especially in the form of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs), than other industries. It is essential to understand the inherent risks associated with the nature of this occupation. Based on the Balance Theory (Smith & Carayon-Sainfort, 1989), this review surveys the current literature, especially those published since the previous review paper (Kumar & Kumar, 2008), and identifies which elements contributing to MSD risks were examined: task, technology, organization, environment, individual, and their interactions. Thirty-nine research papers published between 2005 and 2021 are identified and summarized. Among these papers, task and individual elements received the most attention, at 42 and 34 occurrences, respectively. The interaction elements of technology-organization, technology-environment, and organization-environment received less than three mentions. The goal of this literature review is to update the knowledge base and identify current trends for the cleaning occupation. Possible interventions for risk reduction and future research directions are suggested.

The job demand-control-support model and work-related musculoskeletal complaints in daytime and nighttime janitors: The mediating effect of burnout.

Janitors' jobs require repetitive work with low control (skill discretion, decision authority) and social support. Previous studies have found this constellation of work conditions leads to high stress levels. This study investigated the relationships among job demand-control-support, burnout, and musculoskeletal symptoms for commercial janitors in Washington State. Structural equation modeling was performed using data from 208 participants with analyses comparing models of daytime and nighttime janitors. Burnout fully mediated the relationship between job demands and musculoskeletal complaints among daytime janitors. Among nighttime janitors, burnout mediated between job demands, job control, and social support, and musculoskeletal complaints. The nighttime janitors' model was more fully supported compared to the daytime model. This study is one of a small number that examine and bring attention to the importance of janitors' burnout. Recommendations to improve the psychosocial work environment toward mitigating burnout and reducing musculoskeletal complaints are provided.

Lasting Impression: Transformational Leadership and Family Supportive Supervision as Resources for Well-being and Performance.

Although evidence is growing in the occupational health field that supervisors are a critical influence on subordinates' reports of family supportive supervisor behaviors (FSSB), our understanding is limited regarding the antecedents of employee's FSSB perceptions and their lagged effects on future health and work outcomes. Drawing on a positive job resource perspective, we argue that supervisors who report that they use transformational leadership (TL) styles are more likely to have subordinates with higher FSSB perceptions. We theorize that these enhanced perceptions of work-family specific support increase access to personal and social resources (objectively and subjectively) that buffer work-nonwork demands and enhance health (mental, physical) and job outcomes (performance appraisal ratings, job satisfaction, turnover intentions, work-family conflict). Time-lagged multi-source survey data collected in a field study from retail employees and their supervisors and archival performance ratings data collected a year later support our proposed relationships (with the exception that for health, only mental health and not physical health was significant). Post hoc analyses showed that employees' FSSB perceptions play a mediating role between supervisor TL and job satisfaction and work-family conflict, but no other outcomes studied. Overall, this study answers calls in the occupational health literature to use stronger designs to determine linkages between leadership-related workplace phenomena as antecedents of health, work-family, and job outcomes. Our results demonstrate that employees with supervisors who report that they use transformational leadership styles are more likely to perceive higher levels of family supportive supervision, which are positive job resources that enhance occupational health.

Linking Workplace Aggression to Employee Well-Being and Work: The Moderating Role of Family-Supportive Supervisor Behaviors (FSSB).

PURPOSE: The present study examined the moderating effects of family-supportive supervisor behaviors (FSSB) on the relationship between two types of workplace aggression (i.e., patient-initiated physical aggression and coworker-initiated psychological aggression) and employee well-being and work outcomes. METHODOLOGY: Data were obtained from a field sample of 417 healthcare workers in two psychiatric hospitals. Hypotheses were tested using moderated multiple regression analyses. FINDINGS: Psychiatric care providers' perceptions of FSSB moderated the relationship between patient-initiated physical aggression and physical symptoms, exhaustion and cynicism. In addition, FSSB moderated the relationship between coworker-initiated psychological aggression and physical symptoms and turnover intentions. IMPLICATIONS: Based on our findings, family-supportive supervision is a plausible boundary condition for the relationship between workplace aggression and well-being and work outcomes. This study suggests that, in addition to directly addressing aggression prevention and reduction, family-supportive supervision is a trainable resource that healthcare organizations should facilitate to improve employee work and well-being in settings with high workplace aggression. ORIGINALITY: This is the first study to examine the role of FSSB in influencing the relationship between two forms of workplace aggression: patient-initiated physical and coworker- initiated psychological aggression and employee outcomes.

Occupation and the prevalence of current depression and frequent mental distress, WA BRFSS 2006 and 2008.

BACKGROUND: Workers with depression and frequent mental distress (FMD) have lost work productivity. Limited systematic comparisons exist for the prevalence of depression and FMD across occupational groups. METHODS: Using a state-added question for occupation coupled to measures of depression and FMD on the Washington State (WA) 2006 and 2008 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System survey, we estimated the prevalence and odds ratios (ORs) among the 20,560 WA workers. RESULTS: The prevalences of current depression and FMD were 5.2% and 7.5%, respectively. The prevalence varied considerably across occupations. Compared with Management occupation, Truck drivers had significantly increased odds for both current depression [OR = 6.18, 95% confidence interval (CI): 2.52-15.16] and FMD (OR = 1.85, 95% CI: 1.01-3.41). Cleaning/Building services (OR = 1.95, 95% CI: 1.11-3.40) and Protective services (OR = 1.97, 95% CI: 1.19-3.27) were associated with increased FMD. CONCLUSIONS: These findings demonstrate the need for research on possible sources of the differences for current depression and FMD across occupations.

Dimensions of support among abused women in the workplace.

The authors draw on social support theory to examine supervisor support match (support wanted and received), support mismatch (support not wanted and received) and work outcomes for abused low-wage working women, and to determine if supervisor support match and mismatch are more strongly associated with work outcomes than global supervisor support Face-to-face interviews were conducted with a community sample of abused, employed women who have experienced intimate partner violence (IPV) in the past year (N = 163). Using hierarchical regression, we found, after accounting for global supervisor support; a higher level of supervisor support match was associated with greater job satisfaction, fewer job reprimands and less job termination. Findings from the study inform theories of social support and have practical implications for workplace interventions for IPV.

Patterns of workplace supervisor support desired by abused women.

The purpose of this study was to understand differences in patterns of supervisor support desired by female victims of intimate partner violence (IPV) and to examine whether the pattern of support desired at work is reflective of a woman's stage of change in the abusive relationship, IPV-related work interference, and IPV-related job reprimands or job loss. We conducted interviews in Spanish or English with adult women working in low-income jobs who had been physically or sexually abused by an intimate partner/ ex-partner in the past year ( N = 133). Cluster analysis revealed three distinct clusters that form a hierarchy of type of support wanted: those who desired limited support; those who desired confidential, time-off, and emotional support; and those who desired support in wide variety of ways from their supervisor. The clusters appeared to reflect stages of behavior change in an abusive relationship. Specifically, the limited-support cluster may represent an early precontemplation stage, with women reporting the least interference with work. The support-in-every-way cluster may represent later stages of change, in which women are breaking away from the abusive partner and report the greatest interference with work. Women in the confidential-, time-off-, and emotional-support cluster are in a transition stage in which they are considering change and are exploring options in their abusive relationship. Understanding the hierarchy of the type of support desired, and its relationship to stages of change in the abusive relationship and work interference, may provide a strong foundation for developing appropriate and effective workplace interventions to guide supervisors in providing support to women experiencing IPV.

Development and Validation of a Multidimensional Measure of Family Supportive Supervisor Behaviors (FSSB).

Due to growing work-family demands, supervisors need to effectively exhibit family supportive supervisor behaviors (FSSB). Drawing on social support theory and using data from two samples of lower wage workers, the authors develop and validate a measure of FSSB, defined as behaviors exhibited by supervisors that are supportive of families. FSSB is conceptualized as a multidimensional superordinate construct with four subordinate dimensions: emotional support, instrumental support, role modeling behaviors, and creative work-family management. Results from multilevel confirmatory factor analyses and multilevel regression analyses provide evidence of construct, criterion-related, and incremental validity. The authors found FSSB to be significantly related to work-family conflict, work-family positive spillover, job satisfaction, and turnover intentions over and above measures of general supervisor support.